Keeping you safe in Torbay
With 16 language schools in Torbay it is thought that over 20,000 foreign students are in Torbay for the Easter holiday and many more are expected to be here for the summer season too.
- 'Student Support Stop' sticker, shows where you can get help at any time.
Over the past few years the local police have introduced initiatives designed to protect foreign students, provide a safe environment for their visit and educate the local residents.
A spokesperson from the police said "We shall be visiting these language schools, supporting educational talks regarding UK law, general UK etiquette and offering crime protection advice as well as ensuring we maintain high visibility patrols at peak times."
LAL Torbay has had a close relationship with the local police force with regards to the safety of its students, through the work carried out by Karin Kilpatrick, Operations Manager. Every summer our students get a welcome talk from Karin and her staff and a local police officer when they arrive at the school on their first day.
Following an article in the Herald Express local newspaper, several readers got in contact with the paper to say how welcome language students are in Torbay, and the following comments were published from local residents on www.heraldexpress.co.uk.
"These students do need welcoming, to show gratitude they will more than attempt our language. The students are part of our community, part of our season within the Bay and give us such a fantastic boost. Seeing them weekly in coach trips is fantastic, they are here to learn but to enjoy and they do it so well."
"I have worked as a leader for these students for two of the last three summers in Torquay. I can personally say that some of the students I have met are the brightest people with a fantastic philosophy on life and having fun."
"I personally welcome the students. They know how to enjoy themselves and are well-behaved."
It's not just the British police who have been on patrol in Torbay - one of our old students has returned to Torbay on an exchange from the police in Germany.
A German policewoman has been pounding the beat in the Bay to learn the British way of policing from local officers.
Tina Tauchner, from Wiesbaden near Frankfurt, admits her three-week visit to the resort has been something of an eye-opener.
"I've enjoyed it very much," said Tina, who is a self-confessed fan of the Bay after spending a time here 12 years ago as a foreign student with the Torbay Language Centre [the old name for LAL Torbay].
"Since then I have kept in touch with the host family, so when the chance came up to make a professional visit I chose the Bay," she said.
And it quickly became apparent the German way of keeping law and order isn't quite the same as the British method. "We don't have anything like neighbourhood policing or crime prevention.
"We just don't have the resources," she said.
One of the highlights of her trip was yesterday when she hit the heights with a trip on the police helicopter for a bird's eye view of the her new local patch.
Accompanying her on her fact-finding mission have been Bay officers Sgt Jon Phillips and Insp Mel Broad.
Sgt Phillips said: "I like to think our German colleague has been well looked after and enjoyed her visit.
"I'm sure she has learned quite a lot from us and we have picked up some useful knowledge about German policing at the same time."
He added: "We are hoping to send an officer over to Germany as part of this cultural exchange in the future.
"I'm confident it will be useful and we will learn many aspects of the job over there which will be of mutual benefit to us both."
Reprinted from the Herald Express, Tuesday, February 16, 2010.
Top tips to stay safe
No matter what we and the police do, you need to take care in Torbay just like you do at home. Taking a few ‘common sense’ precautions will make you feel safer, help you to stay safe and to enjoy your time in Torbay.
The police are your friends!
If you have a problem or need help, any policeman or policewoman in the street will be happy to help you. If you need help when you are in Paignton, you can also go to one of the shops or businesses which has this "Student Support Stop" sticker in the window. They will be happy to help you.
Keep valuable things safe!
Don’t carry your passport or national identity card in your pockets or bags while at school, in town or on activities. You don’t need it in the UK, but you will need it to go home. Never, ever, carry large amounts of money with you. You only need £10 to £20 each day. Leave your passport, flight tickets and extra cash in your Host Home, locked in your suitcase.
Don’t walk on your own!
It is safer to walk with friends, and to avoid dark or empty places.
Don’t reply to threats or insults!
If you feel frightened, or someone threatens or shouts at you, go away immediately. Never reply to threats or insults.
Talk to us...
We're here to help you. Talk to our staff in the school or by phone - the number's on your Student Card - if you have any problems or concerns.
